“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

To study the human body from only the physical standpoint, or to consider it as exclusively a physical phenomenon, is to severely limit your perception of it, and of reality as a whole. To study psychology exclusively in terms of the brain’s effect upon the physical body is likewise hampering and limiting, for the brain is merely that portion of, that very small portion, of the mind which is apparent within matter. As such within your physical field the brain is subject to the laws of your field. The mind, having its existence within the scope of the physical field but independent of it, is a much more fruitful subject for study; and not of course study through means of physical instruments or of operations performed. In any case the mind cannot be found by such procedures.

The mind will be found to be closely allied with the spacious present. The mind’s capabilities, if studied, would lead man into a realization of these other fields of actuality of which I have spoken. The mind deals with intangibles, but it does not deal with unrealities. Again, the validity of an actuality is not to be determined by its appearance within matter alone. The ingredients of matter are first of all intangible ingredients, and the study of the mind and a study of the processes by which the mind creates its dream images could lead to a basic understanding of the manner in which man subconsciously produces the physical images of his own material universe.

You can perhaps now see where this so-called astral body has its origin and purpose. It is actually the intangible but actual framework formed by inner energy, about whose lines or, actually, reference points, the physical framework is constructed. Now. This sort of elementary telepathy has existed as a necessity since the first formation of inner energy into matter. Some of our past sessions, particularly those explaining the initial appearance of matter, will set you clear, and you will see that the explanations I gave you then would have to involve such elementary telepathic communication between cells.

As inner energy forms more complicated gestalts through the processes that I have earlier explained, then inner energy continues its communication with the physical matter that it creates about it. When inner energy desires to construct a more complicated gestalt, then it must telepathically communicate this intent and purpose through the matter which it collects about itself, forming a more complicated inner telepathic pattern first, that can then be filled in with physical matter. The manners in which telepathy operates are difficult to explain because of the divergence of definition held by the ego and by the inner self of any given individual. To the human being it must appear that telepathy is a mental or psychic communication occurring between two or more entirely separate selves. The ego, you see, has one definition for the self, and its own idea of the limitations of itself.